The long and winding road to the dream of glory in Africa’s greatest horseracing event began in earnest today when Gold Circle announced the names of the 69 first entries for the R4,25 million Vodacom Durban July to be run on Saturday 7 July 2018.
2015 July party – Dean Kannemeyer, Tracey Attree, Lady Christine Laidlaw and Jehan Malherbe – they could be back for more!
Horseracing loves the cliché’s but this really is the one race that every owner, trainer, breeder and jockey wants to win. And the cyclical nature of fortune is reflected in the reality that 2017 history-making winning trainer Candice Bass-Robinson and 2016 champion Joey Ramsden are not amongst the 27 proud conditioners who have taken their first baby steps to stardom.
Click on the image below to see the full list of entries
Dean Kannemeyer, who won the race in 2015 with Silvano gelding Power King, is the most recent title-holder and he has a quartet entered, headed by exciting and lightly raced 3yo Silva’s Bullet – coincidentally also a Silvano.
Silva’s Bullet – promising 3yo
“It’s early days but I want to keep my options open. I rate Silva’s Bullet highly and if he wins his next start I will be looking at the Daily News. Then we are suddenly serious candidates for the July! It’s My Turn is a Cape Derby winner, while Mambo Mime is a Gr3 winner and very capable – he is thriving here in KZN. The Slade is a tough sort and is capable of going on with it this season,” added Kannemeyer.
One of the most interesting entries is past winner Legislate, who recently returned from a stint as a stallion in the Drakenstein paddocks, to come back into training with Justin Snaith. The Cape champion trainer has eight entries and what a fairytale that would be were he to return to win the race four years later with the son of Dynasty!
Oh Susanna – Met winner
Snaith has also entered Sun Met winner Oh Susanna, an exciting 3yo who will be out to write her own chapter of history.
Even the small trainer has a hope.
Milnerton-based Harold Crawford has entered Listed Jet Master Stakes winner Perovskia, whose sire Russian Sage twice ran unplaced in the July – in 2008 behind Pocket Power and 2010 behind Bold Silvano.
2018 Listed Jet Master Stakes Perovskia and connection (photo: Chase Liebenberg)
Perovskia was Crawford’s first feature winner in three decades this season and another fairytale lies waiting to be written.
Winners of the following races in the current season will qualify automatically for the July. That said, Gold Circle reserves the right to request a public gallop to determine the well-being / fitness in the event that any of these winners have not raced within three months of the date of final declaration:
- The L’Ormarins Queens Plate
- The Sun Met
- The Investec Cape Derby
- The SA Classic
- The SA Fillies Guineas
- The SA Derby
- Premiers Champions Challenge
- Daily News 2000
- Woolavington 2000
- Rising Sun Gold Challenge
Winners of the following races in the current season will enjoy preferential consideration for inclusion in the final field:
- Sansui Summer Cup (Gr1)
- Cup Trial (Gr3)
- Betting World 1900 (Gr2)
- Jubilee Handicap (Gr3)
A final field of 20 will be carded – that will include two reserve runners.
Key dates:
First Declaration: Closes 11h00 Monday, 14 May
First Supp. Entries:Closes 11h00 Tuesday, 15 May
Second Declaration: Closes 11h00 Monday, 4 June
Final Supp. Entries: Closes 11h00 Monday, 18 June
Weights Published: Tuesday, 19 June
Final Declaration: Closes 11h00 Monday, 25 June
Announcement of the Final Field and Barrier Draws will take place on Tuesday, 26 June.
